It was never supposed to happen. Seriously. For two decades, "Not in this lifetime" wasn't just a cheeky quote from Axl Rose; it was a firm, undeniable reality for anyone who grew up on the grit of Appetite for Destruction. The bridge between Axl and Slash didn't just look burned—it looked vaporized. Then, a blurry photo of a Coachella lineup dropped, and suddenly, the Guns N' Roses Not In This Lifetime Tour was no longer a punchline. It was a billion-dollar juggernaut that redefined what a legacy rock reunion could actually look like in the 21st century.
Honestly, the sheer scale of the thing was hard to wrap your head around at the time. We’re talking about a trek that spanned three and a half years, hit six continents, and moved over five million tickets. It wasn't just a few dusty arena shows for the sake of a paycheck. It was a massive, sprawling statement of intent.
The Night Everything Changed at the Troubadour
Before the pyrotechnics and the stadium screens, it started in a room that smelled like old beer and sweat. April 1, 2016. Most people thought the announcement was an April Fool’s prank. But there they were: Axl, Slash, and Duff McKagan standing on the tiny stage of the Troubadour in West Hollywood. It was the first time they’d shared a stage since July 17, 1993, in Buenos Aires.
The energy in that room? Total chaos.
Axl actually broke his foot during that first set. He spent the next few weeks of the tour sitting on a literal throne—borrowed from Dave Grohl, no less—while belt-looping high notes that people thought he'd lost years ago. Most singers would have postponed. Axl just sat there and screamed "Coma" while his foot was in a cast. It set a tone for the whole run. This wasn't going to be a "safe" reunion. It was going to be raw, even when it was polished.
Why the Guns N' Roses Not In This Lifetime Tour Broke the Record Books
You can't talk about this tour without talking about the money, though that feels a bit cynical when you're thinking about the guitar solo in "November Rain." By the time the final curtain fell at Caesars Palace in 2019, the tour had raked in over $584 million. At that point, it was the third highest-grossing tour in history.
📖 Related: Ashley Johnson: The Last of Us Voice Actress Who Changed Everything
Why did it work so well?
- Punctuality: Shockingly, the band actually showed up on time. Gone were the days of Axl starting sets at 11:30 PM and inciting riots. They were professional.
- The Setlist: They weren't just playing the hits. They were digging deep into Chinese Democracy tracks with Slash on lead guitar, which gave those songs a totally different, bluesier life.
- Stamina: These shows were long. Usually three hours. You got your money's worth.
There's a specific kind of magic in seeing Slash play the opening riff of "Welcome to the Jungle" while Axl lets out that trademark howl. It’s a visceral, nostalgic hit that hits right in the chest. Critics who spent years calling GNR a "legacy act" had to eat their words when they saw the chemistry. It didn't feel like three guys who hated each other pretending for the sake of a bank account. It felt like a band that had finally figured out how to be in a room together.
The Missing Pieces: Izzy and Steven
Of course, it wasn't a "full" reunion. That's the elephant in the room that fans still argue about on forums. Izzy Stradlin was famously absent. He later claimed the band didn't want to "split the loot equally." It’s a bummer, really. Izzy was the secret sauce of their songwriting. Without him, there’s a certain rhythmic swing that’s just... different.
And then there’s Steven Adler. He popped up for guest appearances in a few cities—Cincinnati, Nashville, Los Angeles—to play "Out Ta Get Me" and "My Michelle." Seeing him grin behind the kit was a highlight for many, but for medical reasons or internal politics, Frank Ferrer handled the bulk of the drumming. It wasn't perfect. But in the world of Guns N' Roses, "perfect" is boring. We want the drama. We want the slight edge of "is this going to fall apart?" Even if, this time, it never did.
Production Value vs. Raw Rock and Roll
The tour was a visual monster. The stage design featured massive LED screens and a "bullet hole" aesthetic that felt very 1987, but with 2016 technology. It was directed by Dale "Opie" Skjerseth, a man who has been in the GNR inner circle since the early days. He knew exactly how to frame the icons.
👉 See also: Archie Bunker's Place Season 1: Why the All in the Family Spin-off Was Weirder Than You Remember
One of the coolest parts was the "Slash-cam." You'd get these massive, high-definition close-ups of his fingers flying across the fretboard during the extended "Speak Softly Love" (The Godfather Theme) solos. It made the stadiums feel smaller. You weren't just watching a speck in the distance; you were watching a masterclass in Les Paul tone.
The Global Impact
The tour didn't just stay in North America. They went everywhere.
I remember the footage from the shows in South America. The crowds in Brazil and Argentina are famously loud, but for the Guns N' Roses Not In This Lifetime Tour, it was on another level. Tens of thousands of people singing the outro to "Paradise City" in unison is enough to give anyone chills. They played the Tokyo Dome. They played Glastonbury. They played the Slane Castle in Ireland.
They also had some pretty legendary opening acts. Depending on where you saw them, you might have caught Alice in Chains, The Cult, Lenny Kravitz, or even Skrillex (which was a weird choice, honestly, but hey, it's GNR). It felt like a traveling festival of rock history.
What it Means for Rock in the 2020s
The success of this tour basically proved that rock isn't dead; it's just expensive. It showed that if you give people the "classic" lineup—or at least the Big Three—they will show up in droves. It paved the way for other massive reunions. It also changed the perception of Axl Rose. For years, he was the villain of rock and roll. On this tour, he was a marathon man. He looked happy. He was running across the stage, changing outfits every three songs, and actually smiling at Slash.
✨ Don't miss: Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises: What Most People Get Wrong
That's the real legacy here.
Most people didn't go to these shows to see a light show. They went to see if the impossible was actually happening. They went to see if the two most volatile personalities in music could exist in the same zip code without an explosion.
Key Takeaways for Fans and Historians
If you’re looking back at this era of the band, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- The Audio Quality: The band released several "Selects" videos on YouTube from various stops. If you haven't seen the London or Mexico City footage, go watch it. The mix is incredible.
- The Merch: The tour-specific lithographs became instant collector's items. Each city had a unique design, and they now sell for hundreds on eBay.
- The Setlist Variations: While the core was stable, they threw in covers like Pink Floyd’s "Wish You Were Here" and Chris Cornell’s "Black Hole Sun" following his passing. Those moments added a layer of humanity to the spectacle.
The Guns N' Roses Not In This Lifetime Tour was a marathon, not a sprint. It ended up lasting longer than the original Appetite and Illusion tours combined in terms of sheer calendar days. It proved that time heals all wounds, especially when there are hundreds of millions of dollars on the table and a fan base that refuses to let go of the 80s.
How to Relive the Experience
Since there isn't a single "official" concert film of the entire tour yet (which is a crime, frankly), the best way to dive back in is through the "GNR Selects" series on their official YouTube channel. These are high-quality, pro-shot segments that capture the atmosphere better than any fan-filmed phone footage ever could. You can also track down the various "Live Era" bootlegs if you’re into the grittier, unedited soundboard recordings.
For those who missed out, keep an eye on current festival lineups. The tour technically "ended," but the momentum never really stopped. The band is still active, still touring, and still surprisingly functional. The "lifetime" we're living in is apparently one where Guns N' Roses are the elder statesmen of the stadium circuit, and honestly? We’re lucky to have them.
Next Steps for GNR Fans:
Check out the official Guns N' Roses YouTube channel and look for the "Not In This Lifetime Selects" playlist. It features nearly 30 minutes of pro-shot footage from various stops including Salt Lake City and Brasilia. If you're a collector, look for the official tour book released toward the end of the run; it contains some of the best behind-the-scenes photography of the Axl/Slash/Duff era ever captured. Finally, if you haven't heard the "Hard Skool" or "Perhaps" singles, listen to them—they are the first studio fruits of this reunion, featuring Slash and Duff on tracks that originated during the Chinese Democracy sessions.